GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 26, 2026

Montreal Convention

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Last updated: 26 June 2026Published: 27 January 2026

Source: https://www.icao.int/secretariat/legal/List%20of%20Parties/Mtl99_EN.pdf

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Definition & Explanation

The Montreal Convention is an international treaty concluded in 1999 under the auspices of ICAO that establishes uniform liability rules for air carriers in the international carriage of passengers, baggage, and cargo. It has largely replaced the Warsaw Convention of 1929 and its successive amendments across most signatory states. Compared to the old regime, the Convention substantially raises compensation thresholds and significantly curtails the procedural defenses available to carriers. For freight forwarders and shippers, it is the primary legal reference when air cargo is lost, damaged, or arrives late. Liability limits are expressed in Special Drawing Rights (SDR) as defined by the International Monetary Fund and are subject to periodic revision; a carrier can only exceed the caps in cases of its own willful misconduct or equivalent fault.

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